If President Obama and Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez don’t act fast, Republicans in Congress will be able to torpedo the administration’s plan to help boost the economy and give millions of workers a raise.

Last year, the Department of Labor proposed modernizing labor rules to ensure that millions of hard-working Americans are eligible for overtime pay, like they were in the 1960s. But Republicans are plotting to use the fine print of the Congressional Review Act to stall and block this desperately needed reform. If the Obama administration waits to implement the final rule, Republicans may be able to run out the clock until the next president takes office – possibly killing overtime reforms for good.1

There are worrying new reports that the Obama administration may not implement reforms until this summer, giving Republicans time to stall and hurt the paychecks of millions of Americans.2 We can’t let that happen. We need to make sure President Obama and Labor Secretary Perez know that we are counting on them to get the job done.

Tell President Obama: Don’t let Republicans block overtime pay.

In 1975, 65 percent of salaried employees received overtime pay if they worked over 40 hours a week. Today, that number is less than 11 percent.3 Right now, you are only eligible for overtime pay as a salaried employee if you make less than $23,660 a year, below the poverty level for a family of four.4

Worse, businesses use massive loopholes to pay far less than the minimum wage. Today, some fast food companies pay employees the equivalent of a 40-hour week at minimum wage – but force them to work more than 60 hours, spending 95 percent of their time at the cash register or sweeping floors, all while labeling them “managers” to deny time-and-a-half pay.5

The Labor Department has the ability to raise the threshold without Congress, and last year announced a proposal to increase it to $50,400. But Republicans are plotting to stall the rule until a new administration comes into office. Because it will help so many Americans, the overtime changes count as a “major rule.” If Congress passes a resolution of disapproval of a major rule, it automatically triggers a 60-day waiting period.6The Obama administration must implement overtime reforms this spring, or risk Republicans running out the clock and denying a raise to millions of Americans.

Tell President Obama: Don’t let Republicans block overtime pay.

The salary threshold and eligibility rules haven’t been changed in over 10 years. If the level had simply risen with inflation, it would be nearly $52,000 today. In fact, Rep. Mark Takano and other progressive champions in the House have called for raising the threshold to $69,000, so it would would again cover 65% of salaried employees.7 President Obama’s reforms seem modest by comparison, but Wall Street and their puppet politicians in Congress aren’t backing off.

More than 60,000 CREDO members told the Labor Department to stand strong on bold new reforms. We joined with our friends in the progressive movement to deliver more than 300,000 signatures in support of raising overtime pay. All that hard work could be lost if the Obama administration doesn’t act with all due haste. Let’s make sure President Obama and Secretary Perez know we are counting on them – and will stand with them if they act fast.